Toy.



n. P. CLARK.

TOY.

APPLICATION FILED Pal/1&3). 1916.

WWW Feb. 12,19fi8 gave/14 501,

43 42 ,Dm odflUmrk,

DAVID r. "CLARK, or DAYTON, on-ro.

TOY. 1

Specification of Letters ZE'atent.

Patented nee. 12, 191%..

Original application filed. February 28, 1916, Serial No. 80,777.Divided and this application. filed March 30, 1916. Serial No. 87,719.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID P. CLARK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and usefulv Improvements in Toys, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawing.

This invention relates to toys. The object of the invention is toprovide a selfpropelled toy which will travel on a track with a minimumof resistance and at a high speed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse, sectional viewof the track showing one of my self-propelled toys thereon in rearelevation; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan of the self-propelled toy shown inFig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail vertical,sectional view of the toy shown inFigs. 1 and 2; Fig. i is a bottom plan of a portion of the modified formof the toy; Fig. 5 is a vertical, sectional view of the modified formshown in Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is a detail perspective of the pivotedbearing for the driving axle of the form shown in Figs. 1 and5.

The subject matter of this invention was fully shown and described inapplicants copending application filed February 28, 1916, Ser. No.80,777, of which the present application is a division. The track uponwhich my toy operates was fully described in the above-mentionedapplication. As shown in Fig. 1, however, the track comprises a pair ofspaced-apart U-shaped track members 1' adapted to receive thewheelsherein shown and to retain them upon the track. The track members areconnected by suitable ties 2 which can be permanently attached to themembers 1 by-soldering, if so desired. Each tie comprises an innerreduced portion 3 having a recess 4 adapted to receive one of the trackmembers 1. The tie also comprises .anenlarged portion 5 having a recess6 to receivethe other track member 1, the track members being bent over,as shown at 7, in order to have proper engagement with the ties. It willbe seen from an inspectionof Fig. 1 that the out side track member ishigher than the inside track member. By this arrangement the effects ofcentrifugal force upon the moving car as it travels around thecurve iselimithe track above described.

nated. As described in the above mentioned application the track isbuilt up of sections and the several sections are connected by U- shapedcouplers 8. The couplers are of such size that they can telescopicallyengage the ends and have portions 9 thereon overlapping the said ends.The couplcrs are ar ranged to project beyond the ends of the members toform sockets into which the track members of theadjacent sections cantelescope.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 I have therein shown one form ofself-propelled toy which is especially adapted to travel on I Thisself-propelled toy may be made to simulate an automobile, as describedin my patent granted Sept. 22, 191%, No. 1,111,056. As described in saidpatent the self-propelled toy herein described also comprises a bodyframe 10 having a pair of wheels 11 at the front thereof and a similarpair of wheels 15? at the rear for supporting and propelling the same. The wheels herein shown have rounded rims. but the form of wheel can bevaried. The form of track, however, must be such as to properly hold thewheel thereon whatever its form. The wheels 11 are mounted upon an axle13 journaled in downwardly projecting portions 14 of a cross member 15.The member 15 is loosely secured to a pin 16 so that it can rotatearound the same as a vertical axis without undue friction andresistance. as well as tilt transversely around a longitudinal axis. Forthis purpose the member is provided with a centrally located hole 16' oflarger diameter than the pin and into which the latter ex tends, therebeing suflicient play between the parts to allow universal movement.There is complete freedom of movement in order that the wheels may veryeasily make the curves of the track herein described. The front pair ofwheels in the above enumerated features distinguishes from theabovementioned patent for the reason that inthe device shown anddescribed in the said patent the front wheels are merely adjustable andconsiderable force would be required to rotate the same around avertical axis. At the rear portion of the bottom of the frame 10 I haveprovided a transverse frame member 17in which is journaled the shaft 18having-atitsouter end a suitable gear 19 fixed thereto. The shaft 18 isadapted to be rotated by a spring motor 20, a detail description ofwhich is not necessary here, as this spring motor is fully described inthe above mentioned patent. It is to be understood, however, that anyform of motor or source of power may be used in connection with thisinvention.

At the lower end of the frame 17 I have shown a member 21 having adownwardly projecting part 22. This part forms a pivot around which thecasing or frame 23 is free to rotate. At 24 I have shown a pin mountedupon the casing 23. Rotatably mounted upon the said pin 24 and fixed toeach other are a small gear 25 and a crown gear 26. The front portion ofthe casing 23 is provided with an upwardly projecting part 27 having anenlarged opening 28 therein loosely embracing the shaft 18 to permit theframe 23 to turn on its axis. It will be seen that the casing 23 iscapable of movement around a vertical axis without interfering with anyof the driving mechanism. The small gear 25 meshes with the large gear19 and the two gears are spaced apart one below the other suflicientlyto allow a certain amount of relative movement and the gear 25 is alsoof a greater width than the gear 19. Projecting from the rear portion ofthe casing 23 and struck rearwardly therefrom are bearings 29, in whichthe axle 30 is rotably mounted, this axle carrying the wheels 12. A gear31 fixed to the axle meshes with the crown gear 26. I have also providedstops 32 to limit the amount of pivotal movement of the frame 23 toprevent the periphery of the gear 26 from engaging the gear 19.

By the construction above described it will be seen that the rear wheelsare capable of movement around a vertical axis without interfering withthe propulsion thereof. The arrangement is a very simple one and a veryhigh speed is thereby obtained on account of the arrangement of gearingof different sizes. It will be seen that the rear wheels will freelyadjust themselves in making curves without impairing the efliciency ofthe gearing between the same and the source of power. The fact that partof the gears are mounted upon a pivoted casing and other parts meshingtherewith are mounted on a relatively fixed part does not make anydifference in the operation thereof, the teeth of the engaging gearsbeing so arranged as to allow this movement around a vertical axis.

In Figs. 4, 5 and 6 I have shown a form of myself-propelled toy which inmany respects is the preferred one. In this form the usual bodyframe-work 33 is provided and a transverse frame member 34 is attachedthereto. To the rear of this transverse frame member 34 I have provideda casing 35 fixed to theframe 33. Projecting into this casing 35 and.suitably journa'led in one of the wallsthereof and in the transversemember 34 is a shaft 36 having fixed at the end thereof within thecasing a crown wheel'37. The shaft 36 and crown wheel 37 are rotated bymeans of a spring 38 which is similar in construction to the onedescribed in conneotion with Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and in my patent abovementioned.

Suitably journaled within the casing 35 is a small gear 39 meshing withthe gear 37. The gear 39 has fixed to it atone side thereof a large gear40; Projecting downwardly from thebottom 41 of-the casing 35 is a-U-shaped hanger42. Pivotally mounted at 43 tothe hanger 42 and locatedwithin the same is a U-shaped frame member 14. This U-shaped member isprovided with recessed bearings 45 projecting .downwardly from the upperedges of the sides thereof. The rear axle 4:6. to which the wheels 17are attached is mounted within these hearings and is held in placebetween themember: '14 and the bottom 41. Located between the sides'ofthe member 44 and fixed tothe axle-is a small gear 48 which projectsthrough a slot 49 in the bottom ll and meshes with the gear 40. Thearrangement of the teeth of the respective gears 4O and 18 is such thatthe axle 16 with its gear can freely rotate around a vertical axiswithout in any way interfering with the transmission or drivingconnection between the two gears. I have,

however, provided the corners of the bottom 7 11 with downwardlyprojecting lugs 50 to limit this movement around a vertical axis.

The form of my device shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 is more durable as thepivoted POI? tion is not as heavy as that described in con- 1 nectionwith Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The operation, however, is substantially the sameas in j the first described form. V

The toy herein described will be found very attractive to children andeven to grown persons for the reason that it is es pecially adapted touses upon tracks having curved portions and'preferably with the outsidetrack higher than the inside track. My toy will make the curves at ahigh "rate of speed and at the same time continue to move around thetrack for quite an extended time.

The success of this toy is due;in no small measure to the arrangement ofgearing which produces a. very high speed in connection with the freelypivoted front and rear wheels.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent. is

1. In a self-propelled toy, a main frame, a pair of wheels pivoted on aVerticalaxis and attached to said frame, a second frame pivoted on avertical axis to. said main frame, an axle having a pair of wheels andournaled on said second frame, a toy'motor, and 'a driving connectionbetween Said motor and said axle adapted to drive said wheels at alltimes irrespective of the pivotal movement of the second frame.

2. In a self-propelled toy, a main frame, a motor on said main frame,supporting and propelling means pivotally mounted on said main frame formovement around a vertical axis, and a driving connection between saidmotor and the supporting and propelling means comprising a gear on themain frame meshing directly with a gear on said pivoted means, saidgears being arranged to mesh with each other at all times irrespectiveof the pivotal movements of the parts relatively to each other.

3. In a self-propelled toy, a main frame, a pair of wheels pivoted tosaid main body frame, said pivotal connection being such as to allowsaid pair of wheels to move around both a vertical and a longitudinallyextending horizontal axis. a second pair of Wheels pivotally attached tosaid main body frame and arranged to move around a vertical axis, motormeans located on said main body frame, and a driving connection betweensaid motor means and said second pair of wheels, said driving connectionbeing operative to drive said wheels at all times irrespective of thepivotal movement thereof.

4. In a self-propelled toy, a main frame, a second frame pivotallyattached to said body frame and arranged to move around a vertical axis,wheels journaled on said sec-- ond frame, motor means on said mainframe, and a driving connection between said motor 1 cans and wheelscomprising a gear on. the main frame meshing with a gear on the movableframe and arranged to allow the pivotal movement of said second framewithout interrupting the driving connection.

5. In a self-propelled toy, a main frame, a second frame pivotallyattached to said frame and arranged to move around a. vertical axis,wheels journaled on said second frame, motor means on said main frame,and a speed increasing driving connection between said motor means andsaid wheels comprising a gear on the main frame meshing with a gear onthe movable frame and arranged to allow the pivotal movement of saidsecond frame without interrupting the driving connection.

6. In a self-propelled toy, a main frame, a pair of wheels pivoted tosaid main frame and arranged to freely move around a vertical axis andtilt transversely, a second frame pivotally attached to said main frameand arranged to move around a vertical axis, wheels journaled on saidsecond frame, motor means on said main frame, and a driving connectionbetween said motor means and last -mentioned wheels comprising a gear onthe main frame meshing with a gear on the movable frame and arranged toallow the pivotal movement of said second frame without interrupting thedriving connection.

7. In a self-propelled toy, a main frame,

motor means mounted on said frame, gearing journaled On said frame anddriven by said motor means, a depending hanger attached to said mainframe, a bearing supported by said hanger and rotatable around avertical axis, a pair of wheels journaled in said bearing, and a gearfixed to said wheels meshing with a gear on the main frame.

8. In a device of the character described, a main frame, front and rearwheels pivoted to said main frame and arranged to move around verticalaxes, a toy motor upon the main frame, and a driving connection betweensaid motor and certain of said wheels, said connection comprising a gearon the main frame meshing directly with a gear on the pivotal portion ofcertain of said wheels, whereby the toy is propelled at all timesirrespective of the pivotal movements thereof;

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

DAVID P. CLARK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

